This is in response to Gordon Woo’s blog post which can be found here.

The post discusses how employers should allow their employees room to get creative and innovate instead of performing the same repetitive tasks every single day. The argument states that if this were to be allowed, it would actually raise productivity per employee.

A perfect example of this sort of execution can be found in Google Inc.’s practices. Google allows its employees to devote one day each week to their own personal projects. Google benefits from this because the drive and motivation its employees have towards their own side projects is carried over to the tasks they perform for Google. In addition, this “break” from the usual repetitive tasks allows for the employees to get back to their tasks refreshed. Also, allowing employees this time reinforces the confidence Google has in its employees, more specifically its programmers. Consequently, this reinforcement of confidence motivates the employees further.

Another way Google benefits from this policy is that any completed side projects of its employees is pitched to upper management and could possibly be used by the company. Google has a constant stream of new ideas generated from within the company which has lead to its rapid, constant, and positive growth.